Eric Farnsworth on CNN International Regarding the Failed Coup Attempt in Bolivia

Julia Chatterley, anchor of CNN International's First Move program, interviewed AS/COA'S Vice President Eric Farnsworth regarding a failed coup attempt in Bolivia. Military officers in connection with the thwarted coup against President Luis Arce’s government were detained, including Gen. Juan José Zúñiga, who led the rebellion.

Chatterley asked Farnsworth if he was surprised to hear about the rebellion.

"Bolivia has a history of coups and this is certainly not the first time it's happened either Bolivia or surrounding countries, but it is a bit of a surprise because most of Latin America really has moved on from this type of behavior," said Farnsworth. "Luis Arce was democratically elected. So this wasn't an effort to overthrow, for example, a dictatorship or some authoritarian government. There has been political chaos in the country, a rivalry between the current president, the former president, Evo Morales, which has led to some economic paralysis and some challenges there. But most of Latin America has moved on from this type of response."

Farnsworth said that it's not really a surprise that the coup collapsed. "One thing that I thought was particularly encouraging was that the international community came out immediately opposed to this. The secretary general of the OAS, the Organization of American States, leaders from the president of Brazil, president of Mexico, neighboring countries like Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, resoundingly rejecting this, effort. And the political environment in Bolivia seems not to be onboard either. And so you really didn't have any particular uptake in support of the military or the move and so it didn't gain this type of steam or momentum," Farnsworth said.

Chatterley asked the vice president of AS/COA about Bolivians: Where do the people stand in terms of who they support and what they want today?

"Bolivia's economy is really struggling. The debt level is high. Inflation is high. Investment is down. Natural gas, which has driven the economy in terms of the production of natural gas, is really beginning to run out. People are questioning what is the engine of growth for Bolivia going forward. And the people are starting to get frustrated. So if you can't put food on the table for your family, it doesn't really matter who's in the presidential palace. You're going tort to get anxious and you're going to go to the streets and you're going to protest for a better scenario. And that's indeed what we're starting to see happen. There have been marches already as recently, just a couple of days ago."

Watch the full interview.